Voter turnout in Polk County was “a little lower than people expected,” Deputy Administrator of Elections Nick Sipe said, with 3,897 of 13,471 registered voters, 28.9%, casting ballots in the Thursday, August 8, county General Election.
Sipe said pre-election voting was up, but election day turnout was down as voters picked a General Sessions judge, property assessor, decided on a sales tax and settled several district races in the county.
Brooklyn Townsend was the county’s highest vote getter, defeating Laura Crawford by a 3-to-1 margin in the General Sessions judge race. Townsend, in her first election bid, received 2,851 votes to Crawford’s 921.
Townsend was appointed to fill Bill Baliles’ unexpired term when health concerns forced the veteran judge to retire from the bench.
Townsend said, “Thank you to the Polk County citizens for your confidence in me. I am humbled by the level of support I received on election day across the county. I look forward to continuing to serve as your elected Polk County General Sessions judge.”
Jason Pankey was the winner in the contest for property assessor. He received 1,759 votes to 1,361 for Ramona Goforth-Price and 695 for Seth McClary. The race featured no incumbent as long-time Property Assessor Randy Yates is retiring at the end of his current term.
A vote to fund new school construction through a one-half percent sales tax increase narrowly passed 1,684 to 1,579.
District 3 (East Polk) voters kept one incumbent school board member, but picked a new face as their second representative on the board.
Robert “Robbie” Cole received 436 votes to retain his school board seat. But the highest vote getter, Jill Crago Rose received 488 votes, enough to unseat James “Mush” Davis who received 391 votes. The other contestant, Bryan A. Todd received 149 votes.
Cole said, “I am grateful that the people of the Third District have given me their continued support. I look forward to making sure our children get the best education possible, and that they are kept safe during the current pandemic.”
The Third District race for constable saw a three-way battle. Coming out on top with 425 votes was Ralph Mike Worley. Jeremy Tipton collected 362 votes and Keisha Powell received 117 votes.